Diskospondylitis caused by Brucella canis in dogs native to the UK

WE would like to bring to the attention of the general veterinary community a concerning increase in the number of dogs diagnosed with diskospondylitis secondary to Brucella canis infection native to the UK. In the past 14 months we have diagnosed two young dogs with diskospondylitis caused by B canis infection. The dogs were a 10-month-old female crossbreed and a 12-month-old female crossbreed, both intact but before any oestrus or mating. Clinical history was intermittent spinal pain for several weeks in both cases. Both dogs were born in the UK and had no travel history outside of the country; both dams were also born in the UK but the sires' origins were unknown. Previous history also included that the first dog's littermates had reportedly died at a very young age. Neurological examinations were unremarkable in both dogs, with evidence of lumbosacral and cervical pain, respectively. No pyrexia was noted. On the basis of signalment and examination findings, differential diagnoses included steroid-responsive meningitis-arteritis, diskospondylitis, or other musculoskeletal conditions that could cause pain. Both dogs had routine blood work, which was not suggestive of inflammatory/infectious disease. Diagnostic imaging (MRI and CT) revealed evidence of multifocal irregular vertebral end-plate lysis resembling ‘hole punch’ lesions, with associated narrowed disc spaces, suggestive of diskospondylitis. Urine, blood and ultrasound-guided disc aspirates were submitted for bacterial and fungal cultures. Blood cultures revealed growth of a Gram-negative bacterium identified as Brucella melitensis (most likely canis) in both dogs. The definitive diagnosis was diskospondylitis secondary to B canis infection. “Brucella canis infection causing diskospondylitis remains a plausible differential in dogs native to the UK We would like to raise awareness that B canis infection causing diskospondylitis remains a plausible differential in dogs native to the UK. We ask colleagues who have encountered similar cases to contact us, as we would like to understand the frequency of this presentation in the UK in more detail.